Follansbee applying for new round of demolition funds
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FOLLANSBEE - City officials are moving forward with their efforts to obtain additional funding to address dilapidated and blighted structures in Follansbee.
During Monday's Council-as-a-whole meeting, Follansbee Ward 3 Councilman Nick Cekinovich announced the city's application for another round of funding through the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection's Dilapidated Properties Program is ready to go.
"I'm going to be submitting this tonight," Cekinovich, who also chairs the city's Building Enforcement Committee, said.
Follansbee previously was awarded nearly $170,000 through the program, which is administered through the DEP's REAP program and is geared toward building demolition and waste disposal, asbestos testing and removal, and title work if needed.
This year's application, Cekinovich said, will include a request for $235,800 and include a list of potential properties eyed for demolition.
Cekinovich previously said he hopes to renew the 50-50 approach the city used previously, under which any grant funding would cover half the cost of a demolition, with the property owner paying the other half.
Follansbee was awarded its initial grant in 2024, with a portion of the funding most recently used to demolish the former American Legion Post 45 building on Main Street. A total of eight structures were demolished in Follansbee through the grant program, which was launched in West Virginia in 2021.
Cekinovich did warn, though, there won't be as much money to go around this time, with only $10 million allocated for the program. Previous years have seen up to $30 million available for distribution.
Whether Follansbee is selected for this new round of funding could be known within the next couple of months.
"We should know by the end of the year," he said.
(Howell can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com)